Hoteliers warned against using domestic LPG
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 23 2024: Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF&PD) Department has warned all hoteliers, restaurateurs and fast food owners not to use domestic LPG cylinder of 14.2 Kg in their businesses.

With the State reeling under shortage of LPG, a team of CAF&PD officials led by OSD (POL) Haobam Bobby carried out a drive at different places of Imphal today and checked if hotels, restaurants and fast food joints are using domestic LPG cylinders.

The drive covered hotels, restaurants, fast food joints opened along Tiddim line starting from Keishampat junction in Imphal West and Mahaballi and Palace Compound in Imphal East.

Hoteliers warned against using domestic LPG

The official team, accompanied by police, found around 80 of the hotels, restaurants and fast food joints using domestic LPG cylinders instead of the commercial LPG cylinder of 19 Kgs.

On learning about the drive, some hoteliers, restaurateurs and fast food owners were caught changing domestic refills with commercial refills.

The official team warned all the defaulters not to ever use domestic LPG refills in their commercial enterprises.

The team advised them to use the commercial refills instead and replace all their domestic refills with commercial refills within two weeks.

Speaking to the media, CAF&PD OSD (POL) Haobam Bobby said that all those people who have been misusing domestic LPG refills are liable for punishment under the Liquified Petroleum Gas Act 2000 .

He said that they took out the drive under an instruction from CAF&PD Minister L Susindro and CAF&PD Director Robertson Asem to check use of domestic LPG refills at hotels, restaurants and fast food joints.

"We carried out the drive on receiving reports that most hotels, restaurants and fast food joints have been using domestic LPG refills although use of domestic LPG refills at commercial enterprises is prohibited by law", he said.

He then appealed to all the hoteliers, restaurateurs and fast food joints owners to stop using domestic LPG refills and switch to commercial refills within two weeks.

If domestic cylinders are found used at hotels, restaurants and fast food joints after two weeks, the domestic cylinders will be seized without any further warning and strong action would be initiated against the hotel/restaurant/fast food joint owners as per law including imposition of fine, Bobby said.

Domestic LPG refills are distributed to the public at subsidised rate and they are meant for only domestic use.

Use of domestic refills at commercial places is one factor for shortage of such refills in the State, he said.

He said that similar drives would be carried out across the State.